At show of strength in Batala, Cong MP Bajwa sings Capt’s praises

Party’s Khadoor Sahib and Amritsar MPs and four MLAs attend the event endorsing Amarinder as leader of party in Punjab

In a show of strength endorsing chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh amid the ongoing feud in the Congress’ Punjab unit, Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday staked claim on Congress ticket from Gurdaspur district for the upcoming assembly elections.

Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa during a function in Batala on Tuesday.

Addressing a gathering at the Batala grain market in the presence of two party MPs and four MLAs, the former Punjab Congress president said the party is united and will again form government in the state under the leadership of Amarinder Singh.

Those from the Amarinder camp present on the occasion were Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa, his Amritsar counterpart Gurjit Singh Aujla, and MLAs Fatehjung Singh Bajwa (Qadian), Balwinder Singh Ladi (Hargobindpur), Santokh Singh Bhalaipur (Baba Bakala) and Joginderpal (Bhoa).

Bajwa said, “I have decided to play a proactive role in the state politics. I will contest the upcoming elections and that too from the Gurdaspur district. However, the final decision will be taken by the party leadership comprising Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Amarinder. They will take a call on which seat in the district I will be fielded from.”

The district is also a stronghold of two state cabinet ministers—Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa— who have been supporting newly elected state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, the one leading a banner of revolt against the CM.

A strong critic of Amarinder not long ago, Bajwa hailed the CM on various fronts such as increasing the old age pension amount from ₹750 to ₹1,500 and hiking the state auured price (SAP) of sugarcane.

“We are also taking measures to provide relief to people of the state in terms of electricity bills,” he added.